Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-23
THE WANDERING TERROR.
The Great Raft Now Aneas as sea.

The Great Raft Now AfIeas ~ Sea.
The great raft, the loss Of which on Nantucket
shoals was announced in TIE srAR, was success
luily launched at Two Rivers, N. s., November Is.
II Is 6s3 feet long, &c feet wide and 81 feet deep,
ana weighs 5000 tons There were four ways
LOO feet long, and the raft went slowly at FIRST,
put, gathering speed. ran 1000 feet until she
noated. She made the run In thirty-four seconds,
without the slightest strain; did not start snge
chain nor spring the vast structure an inch. She
was taken In tow by the tug Neptune, and the
| cradle removed The raft draws 1Sk feet, or
| fest less than was expected. The launch was
made under the superfntendence OF b. X. Robert
aad Martin q New rorS
A Halifax paper says: It was in 1888 that Hugh
building RAFT somewhat in the form Of ship,
composed OF logs cut In fun lengths and firmly
secured by chains. In the following year Mr..
patented it in the United states Canada, Great
Britain, Norway and sweden. n November. 1885,
b: B. Burnhill Of Two Rivers, Nova scotia, con cor
and to build it ready for launching, according To
plans and specifications prepared 6y Mr.. Robert
mans relationship With his employer. Mr.. Burn
NH oegan TO prepare place for the raft near the
mead or the 6ay.a place called Finger Board, =
about six miles down the bay from the Joggins and
about three from Shulee. The spot was admirably
adapted for the purpose, and soon workmen
we're engaged In the CONSTRUCTION OF tnc TaIt.
The raft was completed In August, 1885, and
was almost as large as the Great Eastern, and
full third heavier. 1t contained over 1000, 900
width at the center, and SO in depth, and rs in
diameter at either end. On the 31st OF July, 1885,
the nrSt attempt was made 10 launch the raft, but
following day, and the large mass ran down the
ways nearly 200 feet There 1t remained, owing to
the breaking Oh the ways Several other attempts
were made 10 launch the raft, out without sue
cess. Then Mr.. Robertson, who felt satisfied OF
the practcabilty OF the scheme, decided TO tear
ana # rms done na Tine
structure, being over 500 reet in length, and con-
tanning about 100000 feet OF timber. It's
somewhat fiattened at its upper ami lower
sides, with the pointed end cut on. 1t is one
solld mass, with the exception OF movable inter-
stices necessary In the packing OF round lumber in
trees cut as long az they grow, from 80 TO nearly
100 feet In length. The timber has been slowed
win It's small ends generally toward the ends Of
II Is so interlapped that great strength is attained
tohinder the structure breakingin two. The patent
able point in this system OF rafting Is the ADJUST
ment OF the chains which bind the whole together.
Inc main or center chain runs from one emu OF the
raft TO the Other and IL Is by that the structure
was lowed The lateral chains are used 10 pre-
Kent the raft from working apart longitudlnally
by the action OF the waves. The encircling chains
are attached TO the lateral chains and are to pre-
vent the RAFT from nattentng out while afoat.
LOST AT SEA.
New York dispatch says: The steamer MI
randa, Capt. Henry q. Leseman, OF the Rel Cross
Line, took this queer craft in tow on December z,
and started on voyage that it was estimated
would take six or seven days. The first days run
OF 10 miles, In smooth water and under favorable
conditions, promised well for the accomplishment
OIL the trip on time. But arter that mead winds
were encountered, and the progress OF The ratt
very slow. The Mlranda is Lnirteen-knOt ship OF
1,5OO tons burden ana $50 tons register, but she
never lnade more than eight Knots with her timDer
Tow, and the average Tor the trip was oniy 81
SpriOuS trpuhlA. a chi
and drag began on Thursday last. During that
day ana Friday the wind ircsnened and the sea be-
came rough. The dimculty or managing The raIt
Was great, and was added 10 by logs About half
the time the tow, the hawsers 10 which mad been
paid out TO $40 feet could not be seen from Ship
AT Que time the rarL was tossed about by the so
wildly that the snip, which had stopped to take
the strain on The hawsers nearly Stove in by it,
On saturday Inc wind mad Increased to q yale, and
the waves became So hlgn tnat the ship Was hep
less ana progress was impossible. Four severe
bows had been experienced, and the crew were
pretty thoroughly Tired out. The strain OF the
low lines TOOK some or the life out OF the vessel
and sne pounded about instead or rising ON the
seas. No one Was abe TO stand aboard OF ner, aud
Tine waves broke over her In solid banks OF water.
ABOUT u O'Clock on sunday morning the NTH and
most severe blow Was encountered. From d gale
the wind increased to hurricane, and the waves
Der was pitching and lurching, utterly uncon-
trollabie. one OI its sudden says on the line,
parted the 15-lnch hawser, which broke cupboard
he sudden strain on the other hawser, a lO-lnch
one, tore me bits half out OF the ships deck and
Then, as The rope parted inboarJ, tore away about
10 feet OF the buIwarks. The ship made no effort
TO recapture her tow, and steamed on TO White
stone, L. i. Capt Leseman came 10 the city by
Tram and reported the loss OF the 10 tue agents
or the line, bowling & Archibald, OF No. IL Broad
way he SAID that IL Was Impossible " 20 near
tue raft in the sea that was running wnen sne
went adriIt, and that nothing could have been
done then 10 save II.
THREE VESSELS LOOKING FOR IT.
There ale now three vessels looking for the
derelict. The big steam tug c. w. Morse started
from Williamsburg, n. Y, last night, 10 find and
bTing IN the Dig rat Tue revenue cutter Grant
started iion the Brooklyn navy ard yesterday 10
join the screw steamer Enterprise In hunting for
the raft. Young Mr.. Leary was inclined TO think
that the Grant could do very little more tnan
enter the raft on the ships log II she found 1t.
--~O~--
Found on q Dissectinv Table.